Agricultural machine



Jan. 14, 1930. c. MALEPSY AGRICULTURAL MACHINE Original Filed March 4, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Jan. 14, 1930. c, MALEPSY 1,743,151

AGRI CULTURAL MACHINE Original Filed March 4, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Jan. 14, 1930 UNITED STATES smear oFFr-ce CHARLES MALEPSY, OF EATON RAPIDS, MICHIGAN, 'ASSIGNOR TU ANTHONY LIENZHART, OF STOGKBRIDGE, MICHIGAN AGRICULTURAIE MACHINE Refiled for abandoned application Serial No. 172,721, filed Marci; 4, 1927; This application filed April 27, 1929. Serial 11211358,?14.

The present invention has reference to agricultural machines, and more particularly to a wheel supported weeder especially designed for use in weeding soil in which peppermint in growing, the construction of the weeder being such as to insure against damaging the roots of the peppermint plants.

Another important object of the invention is to provide a device of this character which will operate efficiently over mucky soil and will act to remove weeds without cutting into the soil.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of this character embodying a pair of adjustable weeders, novel means being provided whereby the operator may readily and easily adjust the weeders vertically with respect to the ground surface, or with respect to each other. I

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed, may be made within the scope of what is claimed, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is a plan view of an agricultural machine constructed in accordance with the invention.

F igure-Q is a side elevational view thereof.

Figure 3 is an enlarged detail view illustrating the control levers, on line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on line 14 of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is an enlarged detail view of the connection between the weeders of the machine.

Figure 6 is a sectional view taken on line 66 of Figure 5.

Referring to the drawings in detail, the device includes a frame embodying bars 5 which are connected to the tongue 6 at 7, the outer ends of the bars 5 being connected with the collars 8 that are mounted on the axle 9 at points adjacent to the ends thereof.

As illustrated, the'inner' end ,ofthe tongue 1s provided with abearing1O through which the axle 9"e'X-tei'1ds in such a way that rotary movement of the axle will be permitted;

On the outer ends of the axle are wheels 11.

by means of which the device is supported and moved over the ground'surface. Adja- I centto' the collars 8 and secured to the axle 9 are arm's12 to which the rods 13 are secured, the rods 13 being supplied with yokes 14 at their outer ends that arecfonn'ected with the outer ends of the shafts 15' througli the' medium of the collars 16 and bolts'17. Thus it will beseen that due to this construction the wee'ders may rotate witlithe'ir shafts.

Secured to the central portion ofthe aXle'Q is a; depending" arm18' to which the link 19 1s connected, the link also having connection with the lever 20 secured to the tonguefiso, that' movement'of the lever 20 will result'in'a relative movement" of the axle 9 to rotate the same and raise orlow'er the weeders;

Adj acent'to the inner ends ofthe shafts are secured collars 21th'at' actasstops' for the outer ends"v of the coiled springs 22, the inner ends thereof being'connected'with the slidab'le sleeves 23 which are connected with the bar 24, as at 25', the connection being such to permit the' sleeves 23 to' slide on the shafts and allowing an adjustment ofthe ihner'ends ofthe shafts'as indicated by dotted lines in" Figure 1 ofthe drawings.

Pivot-ally connected with the bar24 is a link-26 that'has its forward end connected.

with the lever27, tothe end that as the lever is moved forwardly or rearwardly, the inner end of the shaft 15, maybe adjusted tochange' the angles at which the shafts and weeders, operate.

The weeders also include rods spirally It will further be seen that due, to the construction shown and described, the inner ends of the spirally formed weeders may be adjusted towards or away from the main axle 9 so that the weeders will have a shearing action to the end that they will efliciently cut larger weeds.

Intermediate the ends of each weeder is a brace 27 to brace the weeders at their central portions. V

The coils are of uniform diameter and of substantial pitch, and the blades are formed of round cross section. The blades are preferably formed of round rods bent into the coils and when mounted on the shafts constitute rotating soil working units. These units, through the mounting described, are supported for angular adjustment relative to each other and relative to the line of draft.

The implement is especially designed and desirable as a weeder, that is, it is designed to pass over the young plants which are firmly rooted, but will destroy the young weeds as it moves the entire surface of the. ground with a scuffingor sliding movement, passing over the young plants, however, without injury thereto.

The structure also has theadvantage of loosening the surface leavin it smooth and covered with a finely worked mulching surface.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

" 1. A weeder of the class described including an axle, wheels on the axle, rods extending rearwardly from the axle, collars on the free ends of the rods, horizontal shafts'pivotally mounted in the collars, stationary collars on the inner ends of the horizontal shafts,

movable sleeves on the inner ends of the shafts, coiled springs mounted between the last mentioned collars and sleeves, a bar pivo t-ally connected with the sleeves, means for moving the bar to adjust the inner ends of the shafts, said sleeves adapted to slide over hand.

CHARLES MALEPSY.

the shafts to permit of adjustment of the shafts, and harrowing members on the shafts.

2. In an implement of the class described, the combination of a main frame, apair of axles mounted on said frame for angular adjustment relative to each other and relative to the line of draft, and spirally coiled rotating blades of substantial length and of round cross section carried by said axles, the coils of the blades being of uniform diameter and of substantial pitch.

3. An implement of the class described, the combination of a main frame, and a plurality of rotating soil working units mounted on said frame for angular adjustment relative to each other and to the line of draft, and each including a spirally coiled blade of substantial length and of round cross section, the 

